Powdered laundry detergents are usually sold in paperboard cartons. Unfortunately, difficulties have sometimes been encountered by consumers in neatly pouring product from cartons. Access to the product in cartons has often been provided by means of die-cut perforations in the paperboard, along which the consumer is expected to make an opening in the carton. Frequently, however, consumers find it difficult to rupture the perforations so as to make an adequate opening in the carton. An additional drawback to perforated die-cut openings is that once an opening has been made it is often difficult to control the product during pouring due to the irregular shape of the pouring aperture created by the consumer. Furthermore, openings formed in the paperboard are usually not reclosable. As a result, a tendency exists for the product to spill from the carton if tipped, especially during transport. Moreover, products which are sensitive to moisture pick-up tend to cake because of the exposed opening.
Attempts to solve the aforementioned problems have included the use of plastic fitments. Gunn U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,315 discloses a plastic closure device having an aperture configured in a pentagonal, "home plate" shape having rounded corners. However, according to Gunn, when a thin, plastic fitment is affixed to the carton in its flat, tubular form problems may arise during stacking of the tubes due to an imbalance in the otherwise flat cartons caused by the extra thickness of the fitment. Gunn discloses that the problem can be overcome by balancing the fitment with means integral with the carton. The means may, for example, comprise score lines which are thickened to offset the extra thickness of the fitment.